Rail car body



Sept. 6, "@938. E, J. w. RAGSDALE ET AL RAIL CAR BODY ori inal Filed April 27, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet l .INVENTORS EARLlW. DAGsDALB ALBERT G. DEAN- ATTORNEY.

Sept 1938. E. J. w. RAGSDALE ET AL 9,235

A'IL CAR BODY Original Filed April 2'7, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTORS S EARLLWRAGsDALB 7; BY ALBERT GDEAN ATTORNEY.

i- 1938- E. J. w. RAGsDALE ET AL v2,129,235

RAIL CAR BODY Original Filed April 27, 1932 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I NVENTGRS. EARLJ.W.RAC1SDALE BY ALBEIQT (I DEAN ATTORNEY.

Sept. 6; 1938. E. J. w. RAGSDALE ET AL RAIL CAR BODY Original Filed April 27, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 7' m; 'ENTORS EARLlWRAQsDALE ALBERT Ci. DEAN A TTURNEY.

P 6, 1938. E. J. w. RAGSDALE ET AL ,235

RAIL CAR BODY IN VEN TORS EARLJRALQAQsDALE A 115212? CIDE Q,

Patented Sept. 6, 1938.

UNITED STATES nan. can BODY Earl J.'w.. Ragsdale, Norrlstown, and Albert G.

Dean, Nar-berth, Pa.,

assignors to Edward G.

Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa.,a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 27, 1932, Serial No. 607,690 Renewed December 12, 1936 18 Claims.

The invention relates particularly to vehicles of an order and size adapting them to travel upon standard railway tracks and to engage in trafllc involving loads of the kind and degree encountered in connection with railway trafilc as it exists today. However, the chief end and aim is the revolutionizing of the structural organization of the bodies of such vehicles to the end of achieving a maximum lightness of structure, of reducing the dead weight in such vehicles so low that the gross Weight, dead load plus live load, is so enormously far reduced over that of the standard railway vehicle of today that, through the use of a car body of the invention, that overlying invention of pneumatic tired railway vehicles may be practiced. Michelin et Cie of Clermont-Ferrand, France have within the past twoor three years produced, successfully operated and introduced to commercial practice on railways of France and recently into this country, such vehicles. It is characteristic of them that the structures of the bodies and their wheel suspensions in the form of trucks or otherwise are designed strictly with reference to a factor of safety but sufficient to safely carry the traflic loads in the form of passengers, freight or the like imposed upon them and without reference to the utilization of heavy masses of material for the purpose of stabilizing the travel of the vehicle upon and enabling it to resist shocks from the trackway and without reference to the utilization of heavy masses for the purpose of precluding crushing, etc., whereby the 7 dead weight is so far reduced that the structure may be used in combination with wheels equipped with pneumatic tires inflated at a relatively high pressure within the break-down limits of the rubber entering into the structure of the tire and yet high enough to keep the number of wheels down within those limits which may be practical- 40 1y embodied in such combinations of equalization and truck mounting as enable the car to travel at the high speeds prevailing in railway practice and around curves of relatively short radius.

The outstanding aim of the invention therefore is the achievement of a structure of car body which will enable the foregoing objects to be the more fully realized.

The second aim of the invention is the achievement of a structure which may be constituted of 0 electrically spot welded strainless steel in its largest part. The extremely great strength of properly treated stainless steel per unit weight as compared with the strengths of ordinary steels coupled with its eminent adaptability for electrical 'spot welding and its immunity from corrosion render it an ideal material for use in light weight, such as pneumatic tired railway vehicles.

A second outstanding aim of the invention therefore is the evolution of a structure which can be made economically from all points of view 6 of this ideal material.

It will be seen. however, upon a full understanding of the invention that it has adaptation to vehicles of other character useful for operating in other fields of traiilc'where the condil0 tions impose similar requirements.

Of the drawings,

Figure l is a general side elevation of a passenger carrying railway vehicle embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a general three-quarter front side view in perspective showing the rear part of the vehicle completely sheathed in with the paneling, etc. of the superstructure, showing its principal load sustaining frame in the midsection stripped 20 of sheathing and in skeleton form, and showing further the fore part of the vehicle broken off in order to disclose the sections of portions of the sustaining frame.

Figure 3 is a half vertical transverse section of 25 the principal load sustaining frame and the connected superstructure, said section being taken in the region of the skeleton part of the view of Figure 2, or substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. 30

Figure 4 is a similar section omittingthe superstructure and including somewhat over half of the vertical transverse cross section of the principal load sustaining frame taken in the transverse plane of the swivel of one of the wheel 5 trucks, substantially in line 4-4 looking in the direction of the arrows of each Figure 1 and Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a general diagram in plan form of the substantially horizontal principal load sup- N porting frame. I

Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation with portions broken away of the longitudinally extending sill units constituting the lateral boundaries of the principal sustaining frame of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a detail cross section of a portion of the sill unit of Figure'fi very much enlarged taken substantially on the line in the planes designated by the arrows 1-1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged horizontal cross section 50 taken substantially in plane 88 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows showing certain details of the longitudinally extending sill units, the transverse beams interconnecting the sills and their adjunctive members.

Figure 9 is a view taken in a similar plane depicting the juncture with the longitudinal and transverse members of the frame of the diagonal members as occurring in the regions within the circle 9, Fig. 5.

Figure 10 is an enlarged cross section in the vertical plane of the lateral slide bearings of the swivelling trucks indicated within the circle ID of Figure 4 and on the line Ii0 of Figure 5.

Figure 11 is a cross section in the vertical plane showing-the connection of the flooring of the vehicle with the heads of the transverse members as indicated by the line Il-l| of Figure 3.

Figure 12 is a horizontal section of an intermediate portion of the vertical posts of the frame of the superstructure on line l2-l2 of Figure 3 and likewise in the upper sectionas similarly designated.

Figure 13 is the enlarged transverse cross section of the parts encompassed by the circle it of Figure 3.

Figure 14 is a transverse cross section of one of the corner posts of the car as in the region within the circle M of the plan diagram of Figure 5.

Figure 15 is a transverse cross section of the curvilinear members interconnecting the posts of the frame as shown in Figure 12 with the carlines constituting the transverse frame members of the roof as shown in Figures 16 and 17, each as taken in the plane designated by the section line and circle of corresponding number in Figure 3.

Figure 18 is a horizontal section of a portion of the vertical posts extending between two adjacent window openings on the line Iii-I8 of Fig. 3.

The foundation of the vehicle body of the invention consists of the principal load sustaining frame 20 shown in skeleton form in the fore part of Figure 2 and in plan form in Figure 5. This frame is composed of a pair of longitudinally extending side sill units 2| alike in all essential respects, which longitudinally extending sill units are interconnected by a multiple number of transverse floor beam members 22. Characteristically the longitudinally extending sill units are relatively thin transversely and extremely deep vertically as appears clearly in Figures 3, 4 and 6, whereby it is possible to utilize the extremely high tensile strength of stainless steels to the maximum degree in the attainment of minimum weight and at the same time reduce the deflection of the sill under most adverse loadings to a figure well within permissible limits. The transverse beams 22 interconnect these sill units of very thin and extremely deep cross section at or near their tops particularly in such fashion that the tops of the transverse beams and the tops of the sill units lie in substantially the same horizontal plane and are therefore adapted to receive and support the flooring of the vehicle body, as clearly appears in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 11. In order to prevent lateral deflection of such extremely thin and deep vertical cross sections of sill units 2|, which lateral deflection is very likely, if'permitted to occur in units of such form, to cause their failure, diagonal braces 23 are introduced between the under sides of the transverse beams 22 at points removed from the sill units 2i inwardly of the body andsubstantially at the lowermost extremities of the thin and deep cross sections of the units 2|.

Pneumatic tired swivelled wheel trucks designated generally 24 and shown particularly in Figure 4 occupy the space beneath the transverse beams 22 and between the sill units 2| which depend from the ends thereof. Such trucks indeed occupy a space within the diagonal brace members 23 and the relation of the parts is such that the wheels of the truck extend upwardly into substantial proximity to the transverse beams 22. The trucks are multi-wheel trucks each having six wheels, as appears in Figure 1 of this embodiment, and are swivelled through a trunnion connection 25 to the transverse beams 22 and provided with laterally disposed stabilizing bearings 26 normally, in substantial disengagement as between beams 22 and the truck but engaging whenever the loads on the car body require such engagement, as in the usual practice. In the support of the body from these trucks certain of the transverse beams 22, particularly those designated 22a longitudinally spaced as pairs from each other and from the opposite ends of the body and likewise from the ends of the vehicle are constituted of considerably increased strength over and above the remainder and are interconnected by a plurality of short cross connecting beams 27 and 28. The members 28 and those portions of the beams 220. between them are overlaid'top and bottom by rectangular trunnion bearing plates 29 which together support the trunion bearing 30 vertically aligned with a series of buttressing inner plates 3i and receiving centrally the swivel pin 25. The lower plate 29 has a substantially horizontal central offset 32 receiving the substantially horizontal lower edges of the buttressing inner plates 3! of the bearing 30. All the parts are electrically spot-welded together. The offset 32 of the lower plate 29 is received as a male trunnion bearing upon the seat 33 formed upon the bolster 34 of the truck and encompassed by circular retaining wall member 35. The lateral stabilizing bearings 25 are constituted by channel-shaped members 36 Welded as at 311 in inverted position to mounting plates 38 through which they are detachably connected by bolts 39 to the stabilizing bearing supports lli permanently connected as by rivets ii to the beams 22.

The superstructure comprises vertically extending posts l2 (see Figures 3 and 4) extending substantially the full depth of the relatively thin and deep vertical cross sections of the sill units 2| and connected therewith by electric welding at both bottom 43 and top H. These posts are connected by curvilinear members 45 shown in Figures 3 and 15 with the transversely extending carlines 4G appearing in Figures 3 and 16. The posts t2 as clearly appears in Figures 3, 4 and 12 are of channel shaped cross section lacing outwardly of the car body, the side walls of the channel being outwardly flanged as at and the mouth of the channel being closed by a cover member 48 electrically welded to the flanges 41F,

thereby converting the channel member into a box section form. The post is electrically welded to the sill units 2! through the bottom of the channel, and to the flanges 41 and the overlapped portions of the cover plate 48 are electrically welded longitudinally extending sheathing stringers 49 spaced at intervals suitable for the attachment of the sheathing 50. The stringers are of angle cross section welded to the posts by one branch of the angle and welded to the panels 50 by the other branch. The panels 50 are of a cross section concaved inwardly of the body and provided at their lateral extremities with inturned flanges and spot welded through the inturned flanges to the outturned branches of the angle cross section of the stringers 49. Thus the weld at this point passes through all three cross sections as' illustrated for example in Figure 13 where one of the panels 50 is shown joined to the stringer 49 through an inturned flange carried by a molding 52 which constitutes the uppermost margin of the paneling 50. A similar molding panel section 52 is provided at the bottom of the post 42 and the paneling 50 is continuous between these moldings. The angular cross section of the stringers plus the flanging and concaving of the panels enables an extremely light paneling to be v employed and accessibly electrically spot welded together and at the same time affords by reason of the stiffening and strengthening" nature of the cross sections involved a substantial addition to the strength and rigidity of the side frame of the car body and minimizes deflection in the principal load sustaining frame 20 and the side sill units 2| thereof. Aprimary advantage of the fluted surfaces on the longitudinal paneling is not so much to add strength to the main underframe to take deflection loads, but rather to prevent the waving or dishing of the extremely thin metal of the panels under deflection. Furthermore, the provision in the fluted paneling strips in their edges of the inwardly extending flanges and the .connection of theseflanges to the post flanges through the angle members 49 affords a flexibility of joinder between the fluted paneling and the trussed framework which avoids any, substantial transmission'of the shearing strains of the truss framework into the paneling. This flexible Joinder is important toprevent the showing of shearing strains under load in the very thin paneling. Flat panels would become dished or wavy upon deflection, and this would result in objectionable appearance and possibly. drumming noises. The. light gauge metal moldings secured to the paneling at top and bottom and above and below the window openings are of longitudinal fluted form for a like reason. At the upper molding 52 are provided window sills, which latter are formed by the provision between the posts of angle cross section members 53 welded to the upper flange of molding 52 by the horizontal branch of the angle cross section, which branch extends inwardly substantially to the plane 54 of the inner face of the posts 42 and is welded to the posts through corner gussets- 55 of angle cross section. The other branch 62 of the cross section of window sill members 53 is turned downwardly in the plane 54 of the inner face of the post 42. The outer edges 56 of the overlapping portions of cover plates 48 of post 42 (see Figure 12) are turned inwardly of the body of the vehicle, as likewise appears in Figure 18. Between these inturned ends 56 and the side walls of the post 42 are interposed rubber weather strips 51 in which are carried the window panes 58 of the windows of the car. These rubber strips are retained in place by removable moldings 59 secured to the interior side face of the post 42. Electrically welded to the window sill 53 in extension of the seats constituted by the flanges 41 and 55 for the weather stripping 51 is an inwardly facing channel member 59 affording a similar seat at the window sill and the rubber weather strip 51 at the sill is held in place by a sill molding 60 likewise removably secured to the window sill (Figure 13) This strip, instead of being of angle section as in the instance of the vertical moldings shown in Figure 18. is of Z-cross section. the inner branch of the Z being turned downwardly to appropriately finish the window sill 53 interiorly, and likewise to accommodate between its end 4| and the downturned branch 62 of the angle cross section of the sill 53 the upholstery paneling ,52 of the interior of the body. A similar construction is used at the top of the window at the point designated 44 in Figure 3. At this point the seat member 59 for the weather stripping is welded to an angle section horizontal top header 55 secured to the posts through a gusset 45 and likewise to a molding 52 in essentially the same manner as are parts 52, 53, 55, 42, 59 secured together as outlined in detail in Figure 13.

Above the windows the paneling 50 is continued in a short zone and connected with the posts 42 and moldings 52 of the paneling in essentially the same manner as are the corresponding parts in the lower section of the superstructure.

The corner posts 51 (Figures 1, 2, 5 and 14) are ikewise of channel cross section but of a diflerent detail form, their main bodies having a bottom wall 58 angularly bent inwardly. The cover plates 59 are curvilinear in cross section convexed outwardly. However, the cover plate overlaps flanges 41 an is provided with inturned ends 55 of essentially he same form and function as are the intermediate posts of Figure 18, whereby there are accommodated the weather strips 51 of the windows which are bounded by these corner posts. At their bottoms the cover plates 69 are provided with an outwardly and downwardly turned flange I0 for strengthening and, ornamenting.

The carlines 45 constituting the transverse support for the roof structure are likewise of box cross section overall as appears in Figures 3 and 16. However, this box cross section, instead of beng formed by one channel shaped member and one cover plate as are the posts 42, is formed of two channel-shaped members 7! electrically welded together bottom to bottom and facing the one upwardly and the other downwardly. Each is provided with a cover plate 12 secured by welding through overlapping and welding to outturned flanges 13 of the channel members H. The bottoms of the channel members H are angularly deflected inwardly of the channels whereby to form a stiffening and reinforcing subordinate box cross section 14. The carlines are interconnected at intervals by purlines 15 of Z-shape cross section stiffened and reinforced by angular mid section offsets l6 similar to those which constitute the box cross section 14 and joined to the carlines by electrically welding their outer horizontally extending branches respectively to the bottom and top flanges of the carlines 46.

Secured to the carlines by riveting in the form illwtrated is a metallic sheet roofing 11. Interposed between the upper and lower flanges of the carlines 46 and resting upon the lower of such flanges also as upon the lower branches of cover plate member 8| essentially of the same cross section as cover plate members 48 and curved concentrically with the members 19 and is electrically spot welded alike to the cover plate 1 members 49 the flanges 80 and the flanges H! or member 82 concentrically curved to members 19 electrically spot welded together.

and BI has its edges provided with outwardly extending flanges 83 electrically spot welded to the side members 19 and the order of assembly is,

however, the reverse of that described. The

order of assembly is as follows.

First are attached members 19 then member -82, the welding tools reaching inwardly of the members 45 and finally member 8|, the tools being applied to the overlapping flanges.

The metal sheathing of. the roof is extended down- .wardly over the cover plate 8| and electrically welded thereto, while its lower edge is fastened to the upturned flange 84 of the uppermost molding 52 as secured in place through the uppermost stringer 49.

However, it is not the detail of the superstructure which constitutes the princlpal feature of the invention, but as intimated hertofore, the detail of the principal load supporting frame 20. Referring now particularly to the lower portions of Figure 3 and. to Figures 4, 2 and 6, it is to be pointed out that the extremely thin and deep longitudinally extending side units 2| are balanced truss structures composed of upper and lower longitudinally extending chord members B5 and 86, respectively. These are in the form of channel cross sections, the mouths of which face toward each other, the upper one down and the lower one up in the plane of the truss. Diagonal truss members 81, the extremities of which lie vertically above each other, interconnect these chord members 85 and 86.

They likewise are of channel form, the channels presenting upwardly and their channels are of such dimension thattheir side walls nest snugly inside of the side walls of the channels of members 85 and 86 as clearly appears in Figure 7. The side walls are electrically spot welded together each to each as indicated in Figures 6 and 7 and they can be most effectively so spot welded because of the snugness and extent of their overlapping relation and the openness of the cross sections employed. Between the points of connection of the diagonals 911 with the chords 95 and til the chord members have their channel shape cross sections closed and thereby converted into an effective box section by cover members 88 in the form of relatively shallow channel cross section members of such dimension that their side walls may be fitted snugly interiorly of the side walls of the members 85 and 86 presenting outwardly and the overlapped walls Both the principal channel members of chord members 85 and 85 and the cover or subordinate members 89 have their central portions deflected in angular form for adding to their rigidity and strength.

Before these cover members are welded in place, however,-the posts 42 are welded in place at the points 43 and 44 as heretofore pointed out, to the exterior faces of the exterior side walls of the members 85 and 86. This is carried through the channels of both members 85 and 8B and diagonals 81, as clearly appears in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7. Similarly on the opposite sides of these welded points there are welded in place through their bottoms, interiorly facing channel cross section members 89 of a dimension and general physical characteristics essentially similar to those of the posts 42 which interconnect members 85 and 86 between points 43 and 44 (see the same figures).

A very important advantage results from this organization of parts. The centers of securement of these several parts 42, 89, 85, 86 and 81 together, all lie in the same transverse plane as clearly appears in Figure 6 and others, and is particularly designated in Figure 6 by the line 90-90. There is thus attained a truss in which the forces are transmitted as truly to a common axis of connection as possible, substantially truly to common points on such transversely extending axis passing through the central zones of connection, and likewise there is obtained a truss having a longitudinal plane of full symmetry with the diagonals joined to theother truss elements substantially equally on each side of said plane. Furthermore, the roof and floor loads through the posts 42 and 89 are carried by the diagonals without any material torsionon the trusses. Yet this truss is susceptible of mass production of rolled cross sections of stainless steel strips and which may be economically fabricated by electric welding in mass production.

These important ends are attained in scarcely less degree throughout the substantially horizontally extending principal load supporting frame 29. The beams 22 are likewise truss members having longitudinally extending vertical planes of symmetry. They are composed of upper and lower chord members 9|, 92 of channel shaped cross sections, which cross sections are converted into box form by cover plates 93a secured to the outturned flanges of the side walls thereof in essentially the same manner as are those of the posts 42 (see Figures 4, l0 and 11). Before these cover plate members'llta, however, are welded in place by overlapping portions to the flanges of the side walls, there are welded to the side walls of the chord members iii, 92 truss plates 93 on opposite sides thereof and exteriorly. These truss plates are of relatively thin gauge stock as compared with the gauge of the chord members 9|, 92. They are divided by diagonal indentations 94 into a plurality of rectangular portions, which portions are prevented from dish-panning through the stiffened indentations 94. Between each rectangular such portion and the next adjoining are electrically welded in place channel shaped reinforcing vertical truss members 95 presenting outwardly of the beam and welded by their bottoms, the bottoms bein'g stiffened and rendered more rigid by the offset 96. This welding is directly to the web plates 93 with the diagonal indentations 94. The channels are welded in place prior to the welding of the webbing to the chord members 9i and 92 and accessibility for welding of all parts attained thereby. Then follows the welding of the cover plates 93.

These transverse beams are of a thickness enabling their ends as deprived of the outturned flanges of the chord members 9! and 92 but retaining the side walls thereof, to be slipped snugly between and in extended overlapping relation to the side walls of the channel shaped vertical members 89 of the truss units 2| as clearly appears in Figures 3, 4, 8 and 9. In this extended overlapping region designated 91, Figures 3 and 4, the side walls of the channel members 89, and the web plates 93 of the chord members 9|, 92 are commonly spot welded to each other and generally together in the most secure fashion. A general accessibility for welding is obtained merely by cutting short the ends of the cover plates 93a and reaching downwardly from the top of the channel shaped member 89 of the truss 2| and upwardly from the open mouth of the channel below the beam 22.

The diagonal bracing members 23 are likewise of channel cross section presenting inwardly and of a dimension between side walls enabling them to fit snugly between the side walls of the members 89 as provided with the triangular interior gusset plates 98, the side walls and gusset plate being commonly welded to each other and together in their overlapping regions. This applies to the lower end of the members 23 as appears in Figures 3 and 4. At their upper ends angular gusset plates 90 and I00 ,are utilized to secure the upper end through overlapping flanges to the outturned flanges of the chord members 92 of the'beams 22, and secured commonly to both the principal channel member and the cover members 93a.

Centrally of the sustaining frame, as appears in Figures 2 and 5, there are provided a longitudinally extending series of short interconnecting beams IOI of a form essentially similar to the beams 22 and of an essentially similar construction and cross sectional dimension whereby mass fabrication is obtained. The connection of these beams IM to the beams 22 is clearly shown in Figure 8. channels 95 constituting the vertical members of the truss form of the beams 22 are widened sufllciently to receive between their side walls and in snug overlapping relation thereto in the same manner as are received the ends of beams 22 by the verticals 89 of trusses 2I, the ends of the beams IOI. These are welded in place after the channels 05 are welded in place, after the beams 22 are welded to the sills 2|, and are accessible for welding by reason of the omission of the cover plates in the region of the opposite.

extremities of the channels 95 and cover plates 93a.

To prevent distortion and weaving of the sustaining frame in'its horizontal plane there are provided between the transverse members 22 in the region of the trunnion plates 29 and the joints between the next adjoining beams 22 on each side thereof and the sills 2|, diagonally extending beams I02 which radiate from the trunnion plate region 29 to the respective diagonally offset corners. These beams, like the beams IOI are of the form and general dimension of the beams 22 likewise for production reasons. Their connection to beams 22 and sills 2| are achieved by a structure essentially similar to that of the beams IM to the beams 22. However, the channel section member I03 by which such connection is made, as appears in Figure 9, which channel section member corresponds to the member 95 and the member 80, has its bottom deflected outwardly beyond the end of the beam I02 in a right angular point I04 adapted to be nested in the angle between beam 22 and the sill 2 I. Thereby the bottom IIM may be electrically spot welded directly tothe side walls of the chord members, and the web members of the beams 22 and the sills 2I. Added strength at'such junction points is provided by tie plates I05 and I06 carried the one between the side wall of channel I03 and the side wall of post 42 below the chord 85 of sill 2|, andthe other similarly below the chord 85 between the side wall of vertical 89 and the side wall of post 42.

After these various joints between sills and beams and diagonals are made through the apertures provided by foreshortening of the cover plates of the chord members and the open mouths The central runs of the of the channel cross sections involved in the circles, cover plates are welded on to closefthese openings. These cover platesare of various plan form and dimension as indicated at various points I05 occurring throughout the plan form of Figure 5 and in general they meet but do not 'overlap the terminal ends of the cover plates of the channels and are secured like the cover plates to the outturned flanges of the panels but in various specific, instances they may overlap by a considerable amount the outturned flanges of the channels, all as clearly appears at the joint I06 illustrated in detail in Figure 8.

A vehicle body having its elements of the forms and shapes shown or their equivalents, and combined as between the elements themselves and as between sub-assemblies of those elements constituting units, enables one to construct through rolled and drawn sections from stainless steel strips and sheets, and electrically weld together in large part by spot welding, a body possessing in an extremely high degree the requisites of the bodies which enter into the invention of pneumatic tired railway vehicles. Such a vehicle recently constructed with a passenger carrying capacity of 42 has dead weight of 13,500 pounds as against the dead weight of the usual railway vehicle of the same capacity of between 50,000 and 70,000 pounds, this dead weight including the weight of the propelling power plant. With a power plant of approximately 100 horsepower the vehicle was propelled at the rate of 72 miles per hour as against substantially 300 horsepower required if propelling the vehicle of 50,000 to 70,000 pounds weight at a; less speed.

While we have shown and described but one form of our invention we desire to have it understood that it is applicable to trussed housing structures at large particularly vehicle bodies at large in all it features, and we, therefore, desire to include such embodiments which do not depart in any wise from its generic spirit and therefore the terminology utilized in the appended claims is to be given every latitude which the existing weight in this particular field warrants.

What we claim is:

1. A principal load sustaining frame for vehicle bodies fabricated of light gauge sheet metal and' including longitudinally extending side frame trusses the posts of which form part of the body superstructure, longitudinally extending paneling, and means to secure said paneling to said posts, the paneling and the securing means being organized and arranged to permit relative movement between the paneling and the posts such that deflection of the side frame trusses does not substantially distort the paneling.

2. A side wall for vehicle bodies fabricated of light gauge sheet metal and comprising trussed side frames including vertical posts of channel section facing outwardly, said channels being flanged in their edges, and paneling comprising longitudinally extending fluted sheet metal strips flanged inwardly in their edges and secured together through said edge flanges, and angle section members connecting said flanges of the paneling to the flanges of the posts.

8. A horizontally disposed principal load sustaining frame for a light weight vehicle having a roof and comprising spaced longitudinally extending sill units fabricated as truss structures including top and bottom chords, and vertical and diagonal webs extending between the chords, the chords and webs being fabricated in major into channels andhaving the vertical webs extending across the chords on each side oi the chords, the webs on the respective sides being of substantially the same size soas to give the sill units substantially a longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry, certain of said vertical webs extending to the roof, the loading of the truss diagonals being distributed in balanced relation to said vertical webs, and transverse beams also fabricated of light gauge sheet metal and interconnecting the longitudinal sill units at the vertical webs.

4. A load sustaining frame for light weight vehicles having a roof and comprising spaced longitudinally extending side units and transverse floor supporting beams interconnecting the side units, said side units and transverse beams being fabricated in major part of light gauge,

sheet metal strips formed into angular section,,

the side units each including top and bottom. through-running, chords and vertical and diagonal webbing to form truss structures, said vertical webbing supporting the roof and transverse floor beams, the diagonal webbing being substantially in the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the respective side units as to chords and vertical webbing, the loading of the diagonal webbing being distributed in substantially balanced relation about said plane to said vertical webbing.

5. A horizontally extending principal load sustaining frame for light weight vehicles having a roof and comprising longitudinally extending sill units and transverse floor supporting beams interconnecting the sill units and having their tops substantially in the same plane as the tops of the sill units, said beams and sill units being fabricated in large part of sheet metal channels, said sill units including top and bottom chords and vertical and diagonal webbing to form truss structures, said vertical webbing extending across the chords and supporting the roof and transverse beams, said transverse beams being substantially symmetrical in cross section and joined to the vertical webbing of the side sill units in substantially equal proportion on opposite sides of the plane of symmetry of the transverse beams for a substantially equal distribution of the loading on said vertical webbing, wheel units connected with the transverse beams and occupying the space between the longitudinal sills, and diagonal braces, some of which are laterally opposite said wheel units, bracing the bottoms of the sills to the transverse beams, the braces opposite said wheel units being spaced from the wheel units so as to permit free swiveling' movement of said wheel units.

6. A load'sustaining frame for light weight vehicles having a roof and comprising spaced longitudinally extending side unit trusses having elements of sheet metal formed into angular members, transverse beams interconnecting the side unit trusses and of substantially less depth in vertical cross section, said side unit trusses having longitudinally extending chord members, vertically extending sheet metal channel section roof supporting posts extending across the chords of said trusses and secured thereto to form main web parts of said side unit trusses, and balancing web members arranged transversely opposite each post and having opposite side walls, said. transverse beams having opposite side walls overlapping and secured to the opposite side walls of said 2,129,235 part from light gauge sheet metal strips, formed balancing web members whereby eccentric loading is avoided.

'7. A principalload sustaining platform for light weight vehicles comprising longitudinally extending side units of light gauge metal, which side units are trussed structures, each truss structure comprising top and bottom chord members embodying vertically opposed channels, diagonal truss members interiorly of the channels interconnecting the side walls thereof, vertical truss members on each side connecting the respective side walls of the opposed channels opposite the connected ends of the diagonal truss members, which vertically extending members are of channel cross section facing outwardly of the chord members, and transverse beam members interconnecting said longitudinally extending side units through the intermediary of the side walls of the interior vertically extending members of the side unit truss, vertical extensions of the exterior vertically extending members of the side unit truss constituting posts of the vehicle side frame structure.

8. A light weight, high strength vehicle body having a roof and an underframe, the principal load of which is carried by side trusses, each of said trusses including through-running chord members, and vertical struts and diagonals of angular section, each of said chord members, struts and diagonals being formed from light gauge sheet metal strips, said vertical struts having portions extending in the plane of the truss and across the chord elements and secured thereto, transverse floor beams securing said trusses together, certain of said vertical struts of the trusses serving to directly support the floor beams and certain of said struts extending beyond the side trusses to directly support the roof, the diagonals of said truss elements being in a longitudinally extending vertical plane of symmetry of the truss elements and being adapted to distribute their loads to other members of the truss elements substantially equally on opposite sides of said plane.

9. A load sustaining frame for vehicle bodies having an underframe including transverse floor beams centrally joined longitudinally by a center sill construction, and supported at their ends by side trusses, said trusses including top chords, lower chords, vertical struts and diagonals, all of which are of channel shaped cross section and fabricated from metal strips of relatively light gauge, said trusses being adapted to take substantially all of the shear and bending moment reactions of the car body, said center sill construction including channel shaped cross section chord members fabricated from metal strips of relatively light gauge, and intermediate webbing between said chord memberasaid transverse floor beams extending through said webbing and being secured to the respective chord members and webbing of the center sill, said center sill being adapted to take longitudinal loads, and

having a relatively low resistance to shear or bending moments.

10. A frame for vehicle bodies having a roof, side frames and transverse floor supporting beams, said floor supporting beams interconnecting said side frames, said side flames being fabricated substantially throughout of "light gauge sheet metal angular section truss elements, includingthrough-running chord members, vertical struts, and diagonal members, having mutually overlapping walls some at least of said truss members being closed by cover members to the diagonals for a minimum torsional reaction formbox section members, said chord members \being secured to adjacent members at the overlapping walls thereof, substantially all of the truss elements being in balanced relation with respect to a longitudinally extending vertical planewof symmetry of the diagonals, the loading of the diagonals being distributed in substantially balanced relation to the other truss elements on the respective sides of the plane of the diagonals.

11. A frame for vehicle bodies having a roof, side frames and transverse floor supporting beams interconnecting'said side frames, said side frames being fabricated substantially throughout of light gauge, sheet metal, channel section, truss elements, including through-running chord members, vertical struts, and diagonal members, the truss elements-being interconnected in balanced relation with respect to a longitudinally extending vertical plane of symmetry of the diagonals whereby the loading of the diagonals may be distributed in substantially balanced relation to the other truss elements, certain of the vertical struts being continuous to the roof, said transverse floor beams and roof being anchored with respect to the struts so that the effective line of anchorage is in the plane of upon the truss at large.

"12. A principal load sustaining frame for vehicle bodies fabricated of light gauge sheet metal and including longitudinally extending side frame trusses the'posts of which form part of the body superstructure, longitudinally fluted paneling, and means to flexibly secure said paneling with respect to said posts so that deflection of the side frame trusses is not substantially trans mitted into the paneling.

13. A principal load sustaining frame for light weight vehicles having a roof, and comprising longitudinally extending side frames, transverse fioor supporting beams interconnecting the side frames, said beams and side frames being fabricated in large part of sheet metal strips formed into channels, said side frames including top and bottom chords and vertical and diagonal webbing to form trus's structures, said vertical webbing extending across the chords and supporting the roof and transverse beams, said transverse beams being unitary and being substantially symmetrical in transverse cross section and joined to the vertical webbing of the side frames in substan-- tially equal proportion on opposite sides of a longitudinal plane of symmetry of the transverse beams for a substantially equal distribution of the loading on said vertical webbings 14. A principal load sustaining frame for light weight vehicles having a roof,'and comprising,

longitudinally extending side frame and transverse floor supporting beams interconnecting the side frame, said beams and side frames being fabricated in large part of angular sheet metal members, said side frames including top and'bottom chords and vertical and diagonal webbing to form truss structures, said vertical webbing extending across the chords supporting the roof and transverse beams, said transverse beams being substantially symmetrical in cross section and joined to the vertical webbing of the side sill units in substantially equal proportion on oppos*te sides of the plane of symmetry of the transverse beams for a substantially equal distribution of the loading on said vertical webbing, wheel units connected with the transverse beams and occupying the space between the longitudinal side frames, and diagonal braces, some of which are-laterally, opposite said wheel units, bracing the bottoms of the side frames to the transverse beams, the braces opposite said wheel units being spaced'from the wheel units so as tially the full vertical depth of said side frame trusses and constituting vertical outer web parts of said trusses, the trusses including through running chord members and being reinforced on their inner sides by additional vertical web members opposite said posts, and diagonal members in the plane of the chord members, the loading of the diagonal members being substantially equally distributed on opposite sides of their longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry.

16. A load sustaining side wall frame and truss for light weight vehicles adapted to support a roof from its upper portion and to support a transverse system of floor supporting beams from its lower portion, said side wall truss being fabricated in major part of light gauge sheet metal strips formed into angular section and including top and bottom through-running chords and vertical and diagonal webbing, portions of said vertical webbing being extended in one piece be-.

yond the top chord and there adapted to support the roof structure and portions of said vertical webbing extending across the truss to the bottom chord, said last-mentioned portions being adapted to support the transverse floor supporting beams, the diagonal webbing being substantially in a vertical plane of symmetry of the truss as to chords and vertical webbing, the loading on the diagonal webbing being distributed in substantially balanced relation about said plane to said vertical webbing.

17. A load sustaining frame for light weight vehicles having a roof and comprising spaced longitudinally extending side units and transverse floor supporting beams interconnecting the longitudinal side units, said side units and transverse beams being fabricated in major part of light gauge sheet metal strips formed into angular sections and including top and bottom through-running chords and vertical and diagthe respective side units as to chords and vertical webbing, the loading of the diagonal webbing being distributed in substantially balanced relation about said plane to said vertical webbing, and a center sill centrally joining said transverse floor beams and including channel shape cross section chord members fabricated from metal strips of relatively light gauge and intermediate webbing between said chord members, saidtransverse floor beams extending through said webbing and being secured to the respective chord members and webbing of the center sill.

18. A load sustaining frame-for light weight vehicles having a roof and comprising spaced longitudinally extending side units and transverse floor supporting beams interconnecting the longitudinal side units, said side units being fabricated in major part of light gauge sheet metal strips formed into angular sections and including top and bottom through-running chords and vertical and diagonal webbing forming truss structures, the vertical webbing of said side units supporting the roof and transverse beams, the

diagonal webbing being substantially in a longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the respective side units as to chords and vertical webbing, the loading of the diagonal webbing being distributed in substantially balanced relation EARL J. W. RAGSDALE.

ALBERT G. DEAN. 

